Chapters 1-5

The Chapters page provides a summary, the main points, characters, and other literary elements relevant to each chapter.
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Chapter 1:
Setting: Panem,District 12, the Seam

Characters:
Katniss- Main Character, age 16, skilled hunter and gatherer, older sister of Prim.

Prim- age 12, younger sister of Katniss

Gale- age 18, best friend of Katniss, skilled hunter and gatherer, resident of the Seam, protagonist of Katniss

Madge- Mayor’s Daughter, acquantence of Katniss, original owner of the gold mockingjay pin.

Haymitch Abernathy- A drunk middle aged man and a past District 12 victor of the Hunger Games.

Effie Trinket- Enthusiastic pink- haired lady who introduces and selects tributes for the reapings.

Summary:
The story opens as Katniss wakes up in the morning. Her day starts by meeting Gale in the woods(off- limits territory) to hunt. It is necessary for them to hunt and gather in order to support their families both of which depend on them for survival. District 12 is a very poor district, many of the families work in the mines and struggle just to find enough food to eat.

Through Katniss and Gale’s conversations the reader learns that there is a large market for what they catch in the woods at the hob(a black market used by the citizens of District 12 to trade and buy rare supplies). It is also made clear that the reaping is soon approaching. The reaping contains a negative conotation. It is not considered a joyous event for their families, and it causes a sad and sorrowful mood when mentioned. The relationship between Katniss and Gale is also defined in Chapter 1 as well. Katniss makes the comment that their friendship has never been romantic, however they do have a special place in their heart for each other.

The Reapings begin. When the reaping begins everyone must assemble at the capital for the ceremony to begin. Children are sorted by age, and everyone else surrounds the area to watch what is considered a major form of entertainment for the district.
Rules of the Reaping: Uprising is punishable by death. Each of the 12 districts must provide one girl and one boy(also called tributes). All of the tributes are imprisoned in a vast arena ranging from a frozen wasteland to a burning desert and must fight to the death. The last tribute standing winds. The reason for the games is for the capital to remind all members of the districts that they have no power over the districts. It is also revealed that there was a District 13 that was destroyed by the capital for a rebellion.
Chapter 1 ends with the horrifying statement that Primrose Everdeen, younger sister of Katniss, was selected as female tribute of District 12.

Who knows what will happen next!? Will Primrose be the next victim? How will Katniss react?
For the answers to all these questions keep reading!

Chapter 2:

Characters:

Peeta Mellark- Baker’s son, Male Tribute for District 12, “medium height, stalky build, ashy blonde hair that falls in waves over his forehead” (Collins 25).

Summary:

Chapter 2 begins with Katniss shocked by hearing the selection of Prim as Female Tribute of District 12. The people of District 12 watch Prim in sadness because she’s so young, and  Prim is terrified as well. Honorably, Katniss takes the place of her sister as a volunteer. Being a volunteer in District 12 is very unusual because the outcome is very grim, only in elite Districts is it considered an honor. The mood of the story is very emotional for the Everdeen sisters. When Katniss takes the stage the mood of the crowd shifts as they give her a sign of admiration, thanks, and love (3 fingers to lips then extended to person of thanks). 

 The next tribute to be selected is Peeta Mellark. Katniss recognizes Peeta which upsets her as she recalls a special memory in her past. Katniss remembers the days soon after her father’s death when she was unable to support her family.Katniss did everything she could, but was unsuccessful. One afternoon when Katniss had almost given up hope, she passed by the bakers to find something to eat. The baker’s wife scares her off and Katniss realizes she has no hope left. But then, Peeta Mellark “accidentily” burns two loaves of bread which he tosses into the trash. Peeta is hit by his mother for his mistake, but he enables Katniss to bring food to her family. 

Chapter 2 ends as Katniss finishes her recollection of Peeta, the mayor ends the ceremony, and Peeta and Katniss shake hands with a reassuring squeeze from Peeta.

"I volunteer as tribute!" - Katniss

Chapter 3:

The chapter opens with Peeta and Katniss being taken off  stage by Peacekeepers and put into lavish rooms where they will say good by to their friends and family. Katniss is visited by her sister and mother, which mostly consists of Katniss making sure that her mother and Prim will be taken away while she is gone. Katniss has a heart to heart with her mother about staying strong for Prim, and Katniss swears to Prim that she will really try to win the Games. The next visistor is Peeta’s father, which surprises Katniss. The Baker (Peeta’s father) gives Katniss a bag of cookies, and they sit their in silence, but befor he leaves he says that he will watch over Prim, which relieves Katniss.

The next unexpected visitor is Madge who gives her a circulair gold pin that has a bird in flight in the middle of it. Katniss promises to wear it into the arena.  The last visitor is Gale, and they both hug, then Gale talks game stratergies with her. Gale is pulled out of the room by the Peacekeepers, and Katniss is whisked away to the train station.

Katniss is sees Peeta and notices that he has been crying. She wonders if his strategy for the arena is to act weak so he goes unnoticed, then eventually show is strength in order to survive.

The tribute train is now on their way to the Capital; the train is very extraordinary and ornate with only the finest things. Katniss recognizes Madges pin as a mockingjay bird.

The Mockingjay was a bird made by the Capital during the time of the district rebellion. The bird could listen to and record whole human conversations, and they would return back to the Capital with the information. Once people started to catch on, they would start telling lies, and the Mockingjay would return to the Capital with that, so they eveuntually just left the mockingjays to die in the wild because it was a fail.

Effie Trinket calls Katniss for a lavish supper, and both Peeta and Katniss to stuff themselves to the max. After dinner, Katniss and Peeta go to watch the other reapings in every other district.

The Chapter ends with Katniss watching herself on T.V. during the reaping and Haymitch  vomiting.

Chapter 4:

Peeta and Katniss help Haymitch back to his room , and Peeta says that he will clean up and take care of Haymitch without the Capital people’s help.

Katniss then starts to think a nice Peeta is worse than an unkind Peeta because she doesn’t want to get attached to him if she ends up having to kill him in the arena. So, Katniss decides from there to stay away from Peeta. Katniss wants nothing to do with Peeta or her father, so she throws the bag of cookies out the window and sees a dandelion, then she has a flash back…

In the school yard years ago, when she saw and dandelion and hope was restored in her. She brought the dandelion home and her Prim scavaged for more that afternoon, and they ate dandelion salad, and the next day she worked up her courage to go into the woods without her father for the first time. Katniss then reflects back on how her family pulled itself back together after her father’s death.

The next morning, Katniss goes to breakfeast, and Haymitch is suppose to give Peeta and Katniss advice for the arena, but he just assumes that they are not fighters like all of the past District 12 tributes. Haymitch soon realizes though that Peeta and Katniss are different from the past tributes.

Haymitch makes a deal with the tributes: if they don’t interfer with his drinking then he promises to help them, but they have to do exactly what he says. Peeta and Katniss both agree. Haymitch advises them to do eveything that their stylist says.

The rest of the train ride is silent, and finally the trian slows down. Katniss and Peeta look out the window and notice all the bright colors that the Capital is painted with and the eager people that appear when they recognize the tribute trian.

The chapter ends with Katniss still trying to figure out Peeta’s plan of survival, and she realizes that he is already fighting to stay alive, which to her means that he is also fighting hard to kill her.

Chapter 5:

Venia, Octavia, Flavius- Members of Katniss’s prep team; unusually dressed with the appearance of oddly colored birds.

Cinna- Katniss’s stylist and Peeta’s; very kind; normal looking

Portia- Cinna’s partner

Chapter 5 begins as Katniss is being groomed by her prep team in the Remake Center of the Capital. Because “The Hunger Games” are a reality TV show for Panem all of the tributes are assigned stylists who are meant to make the contests appealing for the viewers. It is also important to remember that from the moment of selection, all tributes are competing against each other for survival. This means they must develop a look through their costumes, actions, and words that makes them a threat to the other tributes. The first event will be opening ceremonies where each set of tributes must dress in a theme that embodies their district’s principle industry. For Katniss and Peeta this means Coal mining. However, Cinna creates a “new look” for district 12. Instead of resembling coal miners, Cinna’s design focuses on the burning of coal. From this comes the nickname, “Katniss, the girl who was on fire.” Their costumes are a hit with the crowd during opening ceremonies. They are designed for the headpiece and cape to be lit on fire. Also, just before their debut Cinna instructs them to hold hands which is very unusual for tributes to appear teamed up. Opening ceremonies end successfully and District 12 is considered the most stunning of all districts. Chapter 5 comes to a close as Katniss considers Peeta’s kindness a plot to make her his prey, and she decides to play the same game by kissing his cheek.

"Remember, heads high. Smiles, They're going to love you." - Cinna

signed,
Ninjasinplaidskirts